World Bank Scraps Ranking Over 'irregularities'
"); jQuery("#212 h3").html("
"); });
2021-09-17 HKT 01:09
The World Bank Group on Thursday said it had ended publication of its "Doing Business" report on country investment climates after a probe of data irregularities cited "undue pressure" by top bank officials, including then-chief executive Kristalina Georgieva, to boost China's ranking in 2017.
The World Bank said in a statement that the decision came after internal audit reports had raised "ethical matters, including the conduct of former Board officials as well as current and/or former Bank staff" and a board investigation conducted by the law firm WilmerHale.
The Wilmer Hale report cited "direct and indirect pressure" from senior staff in the office of then-World Bank president Kim Jim Yong to change the report's methodology to boost China's score, and said it likely occurred at his direction.
It also said that Georgieva, now the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, and a key adviser pressured staff to "make specific changes to China's data points" and boost its ranking at a time when the bank was seeking China's support for a big capital increase.
China's ranking in the "Doing Business 2018" report published in October 2017, rose seven places to 78th after the data methodology changes were made, compared with the initial draft report.
The Doing Business report assesses regulatory environments, ease of business startups, infrastructure and other business climate measures.
"I disagree fundamentally with the findings and interpretations of the investigation of data irregularities as it relates to my role in the World Bank’s Doing Business report of 2018," Georgieva said in a statement issued by the IMF. She added that she had met with the IMF's executive board to discuss the matter.
The WilmerHale report also cited irregularities in the data used to determine rankings for Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan in the "Doing Business 2020" report published in 2019, but found no evidence that any members of the bank's Office of the President or executive board were involved in these changes.
"Going forward, we will be working on a new approach to assessing the business and investment climate," the World Bank said in a statement. (Reuters)
US Stocks Rise On Hopes Of Pause In Rate Increases
Wall Street stocks finished solidly higher on Thursday, reflecting better sentiment on the US economy and a consensus vi... Read more
China's Financial Risks 'controllable': Regulators
The head of the National Financial Regulatory Administration on Thursday told a high-profile forum in Shanghai that the ... Read more
Banks Cut Yuan Deposit Rates, Could Boost Consumption
China's biggest banks on Thursday said they have lowered interest rates on yuan deposits, in actions that could ease pre... Read more
Cheese And Wine Put EU, Australia Deal In Peril
Australia on Thursday threatened to walk away from a blockbuster free trade deal with the European Union unless its prod... Read more
US Stocks End Mixed As Tech Shares Are Sold Off
Gains by industrial companies lifted the Dow on Wednesday, while weakness among technology shares pushed the Nasdaq deci... Read more
Amazon 'plans Prime Video Streaming Service With Ads'
Amazon.com is planning to launch an advertising-supported tier of its Prime Video streaming service, the Wall Street Jou... Read more